Immigration

On Dec. 2, 2025, USCIS issued a policy memorandum PM-602-0192 directing officers to place an adjudicative hold on all pending asylum applications (Form I-589), regardless of nationality, and most pending immigration benefit requests – such as green cards, adjustment of status, travel documents, naturalization, etc. – filed by nationals of 19 countries designated as “high risk,” regardless of the entry date. Continue Reading USCIS Halts Processing for Pending Asylum Applications and Immigration Benefit Request from 19 ‘High-Risk’ Countries

In a new procedural development, U.S. consular posts have started forwarding B-1 in lieu of H-1B visa applications to the Department of State (DOS)’s Visa Office in Washington, D.C., for

Continue Reading US Consulates Now Requiring Additional Review in Washington for B-1 in Lieu of H-1B Visa Applications

USCIS has released new implementation guidance on the $100,000 supplemental fee established under the Sept. 19, 2025, Presidential Proclamation “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers.” The update provides clarity

Continue Reading USCIS Guidance May Bring Relief for Employers: $100,000 Fee Applies Only to New Overseas H-1B Petitions

The U.S. Department of State’s National Visa Center (NVC) has issued updated guidance that impacts employment-based immigrant visa applicants, including EB-5 investors. This change is especially relevant for globally mobile

Continue Reading NVC Update: Residency Proof Now Required for Employment-Based and EB-5 Immigrant Visa Applicants

The Department of Labor (DOL)’s new Project Firewall has become a much discussed—and misunderstood—development in U.S. business immigration. Announced in September 2025, this initiative signals an increased focus on federal

Continue Reading Facts vs. Fiction – Project Firewall and the New Era of H-1B Enforcement